The present disclosure is related generally to the field of chemically treating individual teeth and/or associated gingival areas. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to chemically treating individual teeth and/or associated gingival areas during the course of dental alignment.
Repositioning teeth for aesthetic or other reasons has been accomplished by wearing what are commonly referred to as “braces.” Braces typically encompass a variety of hardware such as brackets, archwires, ligatures, and O-rings. Attaching the hardware to a patient's teeth can be a tedious and time-consuming task requiring multiple meetings with a treatment professional.
Further, braces are attached to the surfaces of the teeth and since these surfaces are not exposed to food, drink, and other items while they are covered by the braces, oftentimes, the covered portion can have a different coloration when the braces are removed. This can be noticeable in some instances and since only a portion of the teeth is a different cooler, it can be difficult to remedy.
Moreover, from the patient's perspective, the use of braces can also be unsightly, uncomfortable, present a risk of infection, and can hinder effective brushing, flossing, and/or use of other dental hygiene procedures. Furthermore, in some instances, the use of braces can interfere with, or delay, other dental treatment of one or more teeth.
For example, application of whitening chemicals may not be effective while brackets are in place since the portion of tooth surface under the brackets can be left untreated, and thus be discolored with respect to the exposed tooth surface. Similarly, fluoride treatments may not reach the entire tooth structure.